Building pathways, breaking barriers: Summer with Welsh Fire
This summer, we've brought our partnership with Welsh Fire to life through a series of activities designed to inspire more women and girls to consider careers in industries where they are currently underrepresented, including automotive repair.
The partnership supports the Inclusion and Employability pillar of our RISE sustainability framework and builds on our existing relationship with Glamorgan Cricket. Together, we're exploring what industries can learn from the growth of women's cricket, where greater visibility, stronger pathways and investment have helped create new opportunities for women and girls.
Over the past few weeks, colleagues have had the opportunity to engage with the partnership through a range of activities, from attending Welsh Fire matches to taking part in panel discussions exploring inclusion, opportunity and representation. The partnership has also created opportunities for shared learning, including a visit by Welsh Fire players Ella McCaughan, Rhianna Southby and Grace Thompson to our co-branded Vella repair centre in Manchester, where they met technicians and learned more about careers in vehicle repair.
At Ty Admiral, we hosted a panel event, Inclusion, Opportunity and Breaking Barriers, chaired by Admiral's Keith Davies and featuring Welsh Fire players Sophie Devine, Sophia Smale and Joe Root. The discussion explored the growth of women's cricket, the importance of visible role models, and what organisations can do to create more inclusive pathways into careers where women remain underrepresented.
Our Chief Sustainability Officer, Michelle Leavesley, also joined the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast to discuss inclusion, opportunity and the lessons that business and sport can learn from one another when it comes to widening participation and opening doors for future generations.
These activities are part of a wider programme that brings together sport, business and community partners around a shared ambition: creating more opportunities for women to thrive. In September, we'll continue that work by bringing together supplier leaders and charity partners to explore practical actions that can help make the motor repair sector more inclusive and attract future talent.